This was one of the most most elaborate, intensive collaborations I’ve ever done! Our team of 6 got together at Bianca’s Battery Park apartment to bring to life an ambitious concept: Russian Royalty. Inspiration? The story of Anastasia Romanova, the youngest daughter of the last monarch of imperial Russia, who was rumored to be the only one to survive execution of the Romanov family. Rasputin’s hand you see in the photo above is actually Leon’s. :)
Kristin outdid herself with the hair, and can you believe Leon made that dress from scratch?!
I must say, I don’t envy the women who had to wear these clothes every day. Not only does it take hours to assemble (hair, makeup, and dress that takes as long to get into as it does to get out), it is also extremely physically demanding. Narrow waist and chest crush your lungs making breathing a luxury (no wonder women were fainting all the time!), and the sheer weight of the garment & jewelry puts tremendous strain on your feet. We had to take out the massive earrings because my ears were starting to bleed!
Dresses back in the day really weren’t really designed for movement. It’s essentially a human-shaped cage limiting movement down to standing, sitting, and maybe stealing an occasional sip of air. This explains why royal portraits were so stoic and rigid — it simply hurt to be otherwise!
In spite of the constricting garments, I absolutely loved doing this shoot! I got to use my glitter lashes I’ve had for a while (not sure where they came from… Ricky’s?). On my eyes, I’m wearing as Diva & Medusa on the eyes, and Retrofuturist (our #1 most loved lipstick!) on my lips. Hope you enjoyed looking these as much as we did shooting them!
Doe, these are absolutely breathtaking!
Heathre Reply:
December 3, 2010 at 1:38 pm
I totally agree! Everything is so beautiful!
Doe Deere Reply:
December 3, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Thanks guys! :D
It’s unbelievable how beautiful you are. Everything about these photos is amazing.
They are really stunning. Your hair was amazing!
Such an elaborate photoshoot you look amazing so regal WOW! Everyone did such a marvelous job styling you, that hair is fabtastic xoxo
Doe Deere Reply:
December 3, 2010 at 1:42 pm
It was incredible to work with such an overwhelmingly talented team!!!
These are glorious! You look stunning, as usual. The styling is incredible, I am absolutely in love with these photos.
Now I have a lot of interest in the concept of a human-shaped cage, that’s a powerful idea. Time to start sketching :)
Doe Deere Reply:
December 3, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Haha, can’t wait to see what you come up with! ;)
Absolutely stunning! You look like royalt. ^_^
And, as a history-buff I must butt in with that it was Lenin who ordered the execution of the Romanov family. Rasputin actually died the year before.
And I’m done. :D
Doe Deere Reply:
December 3, 2010 at 1:40 pm
I didn’t know Raputin died the year before!? He did want them all dead though…
Kate & Zena Reply:
December 3, 2010 at 9:46 pm
I have to butt in as well because the subject of the Romanovs are so fascinating and I’ve researched them a lot:
Rasputin was shot by Prince Felix Yussapov, a friend of the Romanov’s. His murder was planned out by Yussapov, the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich Romanov (the Czar’s first cousin) and Vladimir Mitrofanovich Purishkevich (a member of the Imperial Duma).
Grigori Rasputin himself is an interesting character. The accounts of him are contradictory. Czarina Alexandra considered him a holy man and absolutely essential to Alexei’s treatment for his crippling hemophilia. Olga, Nicholas’ II sister, hated Rasputin as he constantly tried to pry himself into her private affairs, particularly her marital life. She saw him as nothing more than a conman and told her brother this constantly. Nicholas II was reluctant because of his wife; she insisted Rasputin was a healer from God.
For the record, Anastasia’s body is accounted for among the original bodies found in the pit found in 1991. The bodies that were not accounted for in that pit are the bodies of Alexei and Maria. They were found in a separate, smaller pit in 2007.
Sources:
http://www.alexanderpalace.org/2006rasputin/
http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/rasputin_stanislaus.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/aug/25/russia.lukeharding
OMG. This is the most gorgeous photoshoot ever! Everything is amazing and flawless. Major props to everyone involved, this is truly stunning!!
Ashelle Reply:
December 3, 2010 at 1:31 pm
Agreed! This is an amazing shoot. I hope you have the “how to” for the makeup on your site. You’re pretty.
WOW!! beautiful!!!
I guess these are the most beautiful pics of you I’ve ever seen, what an amazing shooting!
I’m completely enchanted with those photos! It conjures up all those marvellous things I connect with Russia like their beautiful fairytales, cold winters and grand literature.
Doe Deere Reply:
December 3, 2010 at 1:41 pm
That’s the best compliment one could receive, Juliane! Thank you. :)
Yeah, I have to say this one of the most outright elegant, beautiful shoot I’ve seen hands down. I really love the expression of you on the first one. The second one is a favorite too. Stunning… made my day. I want to see every picture from this shoot. Just wow… This is really a collab of really exceptional talents. All of them.. and the hours that went in… but oh man, does the product show…
Squid Reply:
December 4, 2010 at 10:46 am
Seconded. This made my day that much the better. You’ve done such a fantastic job!
sadly… blog didn’t process my reply… so I don’t think this comment is going to reflect the enthusiasm of my initial response… but this is really amazing… very elegant and beautiful in a over the top way. All the hard work that was put in definitely shows. I really would like a print of the first and second ones. The expression you have on the first one says a lot without any words. fantastic. Congrats. Will definitely check out the other talents that made this possible.
soo amazing! this is my favorite shoot to date!
WOAH you look absolutely stunning ♥
Amazing shoot! I’d love to see unedited pics of this!
Whow Doe I don’t have words!! Very baroque, beautiful posing, stunning. The images are beautiful, and one imagines a story behind these photos… I love this!!!
Wow, this is GORGEOUS. The first thing I thought when I saw the title and the picture was “ANASTASIA!”, so yay! :)
I love that story, and a part of me really wish it was a true one.
Beautiful, really stunning.
best. photoshoot. evar.
amazing as always. and very creative:)
but does this mean you dyed your hair back?!
WOW. Simply amazing!
Absolutely gorgeous. Well done, everyone involved!
OMG! That’s gorgeous! The 1997 Don Bluth “Anastasia” was an obsession of mine when I was a teenager–I think I read every biography on the Romanovs and Anna Anderson ever printed because of that flick. This photoshoot is making me so nostalgic…I should really watch that movie again!
Amazing job on the concept as whole. That’s gotta be the most elaborate and elegant one you’ve pulled off yet! I especially can’t get over that hair! It looks like a crown in it’s own right.
STUNNING!!!!
You look absolutely amazing :)
That is amazing. you are beautiful x) and i absolutely love that movie :D<3
This is BREATHTAKING. I think this is my favourite shoot from you. I love the first picture, your eyes look so sad yet beautiful. I like historical fashions so I really enjoyed seeing this.
You look stunning in this shoot!
Amazing!!
I absolutely adore this shoot!
You look absolutely stunning ! I adore these photos <3
I could be wrong, but it’s my understanding that royalty didn’t dress quite like this every day–that most of it was reserved for special occasions, and that on a day-to-day basis most of them just wore very well-made clothing that was a tad plainer.
Corsets, though…yikes. I tried on a tight-laced corset once, and it was an odd feeling–I could only breathe up in my chest, and not with my belly like I was used to. I don’t know if you read the Little House on the Prairie series, but Laura talks about starting to wear corsets as a teenager and how much she hated them. Her mother said she should keep it on at night to help her get used to them and able to lace them tighter, and she just couldn’t do it!
these photos are gorgeous! one of my favorite shoots you’ve posted to date :)
that necklace is so beautiful! you and your team really paid attention to intricate details which is what makes this shoot so lovely :)
OH MY GOODNESS!!!! THIS IS BY FAR ONE OF THE MOST GORGEOUS THINGS I’VE EVER SEEN!!!!! MY HEART IS SO WARM IT’S MELTING!!!
As always, you’re so beautiful.
This shooting is awesome.
I love your make up and your face looks perfect for royalty, so pretty and delicate.
You look amazing!! I only discovered your blog a couple of weeks ago (I know what planet am I on…..) and I LOVE LOVE everything about it and you!
You look beautiful :-)
This is truly one of your best photo shoots to date.
Fabulous. There is no other word for these.
I love the decadent, over-the-top historical fashion, this is truly magical.
that close up shot is just stunning :o i love all the photos! and that dress is so amazing. what a fun photoshoot!
This is so amazingly beautiful that I have no words. Is the photographer selling prints? I would definitely be interested. Oh my GOODNESS, why are you so beautiful??!!??!!
Haha *is jealous*
You guys are all epic, it just makes me look forward to being able to do more work like this. :D
<3 Rickey
As always, you have used your creativity to the fullest extent. You and the team of people who helped you have sheer genius in your entire look. It is all very motivating!!
I really like the whole concept of the shoot and read your blog regularly, however, because I love history (Imperial Russia being among my three favorite subjects), I must give you a little history lesson and tell you that Rasputin didn’t (and couldn’t have) order the execution of the Romanov family. Rasputin was killed two years prior to the execution of the last imperial family. It was the Bolsheviks that seized power and overthrew the imperial government, resulting in the collapse of Imperial Russia made official by the execution of the Romanovs. In life, Rasputin was rather close to the family, particularly to Tsarina Alexandra, but by the time the Bolsheviks seized power he had already been dead for nearly a year, so he in no way had any ties to the Romanovs’ execution. -Just thought you should know :)
This is absolutely gorgeous and inspiring.
I love love love this shoot! I think your best to date, really stunning and your modeling abilities continue to always improve :)
This photoshoot is a work of art! I love it! Everything is so gorgeous and intricate. I think this photoshoot is my favorite. :)
Awwwwww, first thanks Doe for making a sick girl’s day.
I just have no words on how wonderful these photos are-AND THAT DRESS-the details its, just, awwwwwwwwwww<3
Doe, this is on the nose excellent! Everything is so amazing!
Wait a second. Your hair is….red. Again? Huh?
Lana Gabonna Reply:
December 3, 2010 at 8:17 pm
She shot this a while ago, and forgot to post them, haha(:
Hehe, I want to do an Irish forest royalty photoshoot!
Flip Reply:
December 3, 2010 at 10:04 pm
I would love to do something like that too, though Im German and Italian…haha.
German would work right?
Melody Reply:
December 4, 2010 at 5:43 am
No, it wouldn’t really. Germany was always only briefly united under one single noble head, still retaining lots of little kingdoms etc. pp. under them lead by others.
Germany is made up of many distinct regions that have dialects someone from another place may not understand. For example, I’m from Swabia, but when I take a ride to Munich and someone confronts me with thick Bavarian, I actually do not understand a word of what they’re saying. Traditional costumes vary greatly as well. You also have no one to base your photoshoot on from. I do not know any German female noble who is even remotely as famous as Anastasia Romanov. “Nobility culture” (like for example in Sweden or Great Britain) in Germany is dead and was never truly alive.
Ariel Grimm Reply:
December 4, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Flip, I was thinking a German photoshoot too, only I’m not German! I am obsessed with the culture though. I’d base the photoshoot on folklore and fairytales from Germany…
Natasha Reply:
December 5, 2010 at 2:45 am
Melody, I feel your pain. I cannot remember if my German is Northern or Southern (it is very crisp, very pronounced, not soft or rounded, the ‘g’ at the end of my ‘Hoenig’ sounds like a sharp hiss, not a soft ‘ee’) and when I meet other German, even though we are saying the same words, I often cannot understand them!
Ariel, you could skip Germany, move next door to Austria and follow Marie Antoinette to France? That’s about as close to Germanic as I think we’re going to get here..
Flip Reply:
December 5, 2010 at 3:41 am
I wasn’t thinking German nobility. Im a history buff so I am well aware. I should have been more clear with my post. :)
I was thinking more along the lines of German Fairy tale.
You can’t deny that Germany has some amazing fairy tales and wonderful folklore laced all throughout its culture.
Melody Reply:
December 5, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Oh, I see :)
The common fairy tale motifs found in the tales collected by the Brothers Grimm can be found all across the world. Just that those weren’t as famously recorded and are therefore not as popularly known today.
This is beyond stunning, flawless in fact. (Especially your skin, my word!) My brother lives in Russia and says the women truly are beautiful there and he is quite right.
You really do look like a princess in these.
This is incredible! My favorite photoshoot of yours so far :D
I’m a history major and the Romanovs are my favorite topic, not to mention Russian history in general. The whole Anastasia hoax thing is so interesting, so many years of people claiming they were her and she ended up being buried just a short distance away from the others.
…. enough of that depression. You look gorgeous. That dress is amazing, it looks like a real antique!